The Queen's Mistake
by mysterywings
Summary: A one-shot about Mirror's birth...and what Queen Lancaster tells him about the life ahead of him.  Contains info from book 8; may contain spoilers.  Please Read and Review!


**My first fic…please R+R!**

It was dark, in the beginning. Quiet, too. But it could still feel itself being lifted, could still feel the hands closing around its shapeless body. Someone was holding it. _Possess, _it's primitives mind commanded, and the black blob started so, running up the person's slender arm…only to be blasted back by searing heat. The hands wrestled it. The blob squirmed painfully as more stinging heat penetrated its form. The hands molded its shape, twisting it this way and that like liquid glass.

A strange tingling sensation erupted all over the creature, and suddenly it was thrown into a liquid-like surface. The blob expanded, filling up its container – whatever it was – like food coloring blooming inside a glass of water. Being pressed against the container, it could feel its overall shape: it was long and thin, and it had a flat oval surface. A hand was placed on this surface and it got hotter than ever. The creature thrashed as legs, torso, and head took shape. A fiery sensation ran through his body as organs blossomed, and suddenly he gasped, taking his first breath. It was unexpected and uncomfortable: as if the wind was pushed down his lungs. Something pulsed gently from his chest. He was alive.

The heat intensified as his body became more complex; fingers formed, and hair, and toes. He felt as if someone was boring holes into the side of his head, and soon he could hear. He heard his creator chanting something; he heard a name: Mirror. Mirror knew it was _his_ name, and repeated it to himself in his head. Suddenly, eyes formed and flew open, and above him was a glorious sight. A bright red hand, shining scarlet like a beautiful, bloody sun. The image burned his retinas, but he could not look away. It looked frightening. And powerful. The hand faded, revealing to Mirror that he was on a cold, hardwood floor, in a large room…

"Mirror, my servant, this is your master, Queen Lancaster."

Mirror looked up, to see a beautiful young woman on the other side of the glass. She had midnight-black hair pinned up in a bun, full lips and beautiful green eyes scrutinizing him carefully. "Mommy!" he cried delightedly.

The Queen looked taken aback. "Mommy? No, I'm afraid that won't do. As you are my lesser, you must address me as 'Queen', or 'Master'."

"Okay, mommy," said Mirror. He quickly clapped a hand over his mouth. He understood her command but it seemed like he couldn't stop himself.

The Queen took an exasperated sigh. "Very well. If you are incapable of addressing me properly, at the very least you can call me 'Bunny'. That is my first name. That is as much slack as you will get. And now my first order: stand up."

Mirror nodded, and tried picking himself up, but quickly fell down, as he never stood on his two feet in his (short) life. "I – I – " stammered Mirror, embarrassed.

"Oh I see," said Bunny, "you don't have a clue what to do. Very well. Stay still, and this might not hurt _too_ much…" She laid her hand on the mirror, and it turned crimson. The minute her palm touched the glass, the pain shot through Mirror again. Soon tendrils of knowledge entered Mirror's mind through his ear. Vocabulary, rules, names, and simple tasks like standing and walking filled his head. Soon it was over, and he immediately stood, pleased at the new things he knew.

"Congratulations," said the Queen. "You, my servant, are historic in your kind. You are the very first magic mirror."

"Where am I?" asked Mirror, gazing at his surroundings.

"You reside in a mirror," Bunny replied, "This mirror is in my castle, the greatest and most impregnable fortress in the world, where I, Queen Lancaster, rule over all the kingdom. This mirror is your home. For eternity. Unless, of course, it breaks. Then everything inside it would be cut to ribbons, including you. I do hope that does not happen, Mirror. This mirror will hold my many magical possessions, and I would be quite angry if that happened."

Mirror's eyes narrowed. "So I'm placed in a _mirror _and my name is also Mirror? Couldn't you think of something more…original?"

The Queen snorted. "Original? Puh-leeze. What do you want? Elliot? Tobias? Bartholomew? I am a queen," declared the woman pompously. "I don't have time to give you a fancy name. Your name is sensible and fitting, as you are only the prototype."

"Did you use to be a bunny?" interrupted Mirror.

"_What?_" snapped the Queen sharply.

"I asked did you – "

"I heard what you said, servant. I was appalled why anyone would ask such a _ridiculous_ question."

"Well, you seem to have a thing for uncreative names. So since you're name is Bunny, I naturally thought maybe you used to be one – "

"Oaf!" she screeched, interrupting him. Her face was red. "How dare you insult my name! I would like you to know that the very mention of my name could send shivers down the spines of hundreds of my kingdom!"

"Well your kingdom members must have an unnatural phobia to rodents," Mirror commented.

"You have shown the most abhorrent personality!" seethed Lancaster. "I will be _sure _to fix that in my later models!"

"Later models? You mean you are going to make more?

"If you had not asked so many foolish questions, you would know by now. Thus, I command you to hold all questions until I am finished talking."

Mirror nodded.

"As I was saying," continued the queen, steepling her fingers, "You are a magic mirror, and historic in your kind. I am in need of a servant who would supply accurate answers to my questions, which thus lead to my design of a magic mirror. Such as yourself."

Bunny leaned back in her chair, about to plunge into a lengthy explanation: "You have two important tasks. The first one is to guard and protect the magical items in your mirror: the Hall of Wonders. The second task is more special." She paused dramatically. "In a few month's time, you will become my exclusive…shall we say, _encyclopedia._ Whenever I ask you a question you will know it, and provide me the answer, plus show me an image if suitable."

Mirror was leaning forward, intrigued. Even at a young state, he knew that knowledge was valuable, and here he was being told that he would get endless amounts of it. "Will I be omniscient?" he whispered, voice shaking with excitement.

The Queen forgot for a moment her own command not to ask questions. "Not really. Certain answers may be beyond your limits, and someone has to _ask _you something in order for you to know it."

"Oh."

"You're education will start soon," said the Queen. "I'll first briefly send you to an Everafter school to grade your social interaction. Then I will tutor you myself. We have a long way to go, slave.

"But before we start I have a few things I _must _emphasize. Listen _carefully_." She paused, and stared at Mirror intently, making sure he was at attention. "I will make this absolutely clear, slave. You will soon be open to endless amounts of knowledge. You are capable of rational thought. But do not be fooled: you are **not** an Everafter_._"

Mirror stepped back in shock. If he wasn't a real person, _what_ was he?

The Queen didn't exactly give him time to absorb this news. She continued as indifferently as before: "You are an enchantment, and _only _that. You are as alive as the mirror you reside. Which means you are _not _alive. You're an item. There is no difference between _you_ and the mirror itself. You _are _the mirror. The mirror is _you_. Its welfare is yours. You are one and the same completely."

Mirror trembled, aghast by this news. Nothing more than an object. That was what he was.

"Which is why I give this warning," muttered the Queen darkly, "You are the prototype, which you are aware of. I do not know – and do not _wish _to know – what would happen if you attempt to separate yourself from the mirror. All I can think is that great wickedness would ensue. I'm sure even _you _could guess that. Now, _do you understand_?"

Mirror understood alright. He was a slave, and not only a slave, a slave that wasn't even _alive,_ or so he was told. Not only this, but there was no way he could escape, unless he was smashed. Suddenly his birthday didn't seem so happy.

"I understand," he said wearily.

He thought the Queen would approve of him, but instead she stood up with a sneer. "I hope so," she sniffed, glancing in a regular hand held mirror. She laid the mirror down and scrutinized Mirror carefully. "I should smash you while I have the chance. The prototype _always _goes wrong…" And with that the Queen stalked away with a swish of her robes, leaving Mirror to feel terribly neglected and afraid…

But the Queen took pride in all of her creations, and did not destroy Mirror. Many centuries later would occur the day when Bunny would realize that she was very, very wrong about Mirror. He was very much alive, but that he was seeking revenge. She would then know that she should've treated him better.

But Queen Lancaster was right about one thing: _"If you attempt to separate yourself from the mirror…all I can think is that great wickedness would ensue."_

Perhaps not destroying Mirror would be her greatest mistake of all…


End file.
